The Significance of Social Presence in Integrative CALL

The rapid growth of online education has transformed the way languages are taught and learned worldwide. With the continuous advancement of technology and the increasing reliance on digital platforms, understanding the role of social presence in computer-assisted language learning (CALL) has become crucial. This article highlights the significance of fostering social and communicative interaction in integrative CALL environments. By doing so, it sheds light on how online learners, teachers, and CALL practitioners can enhance engagement, collaboration, and overall language learning effectiveness in virtual classrooms.

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The Growing Importance of Online Education

The prevalence of the internet has profoundly affected many aspects of society, including higher education, where the demand for online learning is growing exponentially (Baker, 2010). Over the last few years, online course enrollments have continued to grow at rates far in excess of the total higher education student population. This rapid increase of interest in online education, particularly among the young learners, provides a fertile ground for empirical research on how and why this relatively well-established yet still evolving medium can be used to continually improve our language learning and teaching experience.

Social Presence in Integrative CALL

Although social presence has been well researched in the realm of distance learning and CMC (Cobb, 2009; Gunawardena, 1995; McMillan & Chavis, 1986; Picciano, 2002; Richardson & Swan, 2003; Tu, 2001), it appears that more systematic research into social presence needs to be conducted in the social arena of integrative CALL as the most updated CALL genre to address current SLA issues. This study attempts to elucidate the complexity of realizing social presence in an integrative CALL program because it is believed that upon fulfilling this objective, profound insights into some social and theoretical perspectives on classroom interaction, collaborative learning, teacher education and individualization could be yielded within the immense framework of online teaching and distance learning.

Practical Implications for Online Language Learning

This inquiry could be of practical value to online L2 learners and teachers, CALL practitioners, and even website developers and programmers who work in collaboration with CALL teachers and institutions to compensate for the noticeable lack of student interactivity and collaborative learning in current CALL programs. It is believed that this research project would open a new horizon to the field of CALL by ascertaining the necessity of social factors vis-à-vis learning and teaching English online in the new millennium by means of, for instance, engineering an ideal social context for CMC, optimizing student-student and teacher-student interaction patterns, modifying models of assessment and feedback among the students and between the students and the teacher and so forth.

Pedagogical and Managerial Insights for Virtual Classrooms

It is important to note that owing to the rapid advancement in technology and hectic lifestyles of people with a high level of complexity, learning and teaching English as a foreign language would most probably undergo some changes. As a consequence, it seems to be plausible to be more proactive rather than reactive regarding the future perspectives of CALL to make necessary adjustments. In this regard, social and communicative points in an integrative genre of CALL appear to be actually prominent, for which this study is aimed at providing a blueprint. For instance, this research project might prompt some pedagogical reconsiderations in some ordinary teacher-driven interaction models, namely Initiation-Response Feedback (IRF), to make them more student-driven by nature to account for more awareness and activeness on the part of the learners.

In addition, the current investigation could reveal some practical points on classroom management techniques on the part of the teacher in virtual venues that tend to be rather more elusive and complex compared to face-to-face language classes, particularly in terms of controlling students’ disruptive behaviors who might attend virtual classes from thousands of miles away. These managerial techniques might be presented throughout this longitudinal study lasting for over one year because in the light of the prolonged reciprocal interactivity between the students and the teacher, some subtle factors and practical techniques for managing virtual classes, enhancing the motivation level in the e-learners, and encouraging both individualization and interactivity at the same time might be disclosed.

The Necessity of Social Presence in Online Educational Communities

Although the internet and digital devices have made education more accessible than ever before, the mere existence of online connectivity does not automatically guarantee the emergence of a genuine sense of community among learners. Many online institutions still struggle to foster meaningful interaction, engagement, and emotional connection among their students. Without deliberate efforts to cultivate social presence, online learning environments may remain impersonal, isolating, and transactional—failing to reproduce the collaborative spirit found in traditional classrooms.

To address this challenge, educators and CALL designers must intentionally incorporate pedagogical strategies and technological features that promote social interaction and authentic communication. Features such as discussion forums, peer feedback systems, real-time collaboration tools, and synchronous sessions can strengthen the sense of belonging and trust among learners. When students perceive that their peers and instructors are “real” and emotionally present behind the screens, their motivation, satisfaction, and learning outcomes are significantly enhanced. This recognition of social presence as a central pillar of effective online education underscores its indispensable role in sustaining active and engaged learning communities.

Toward a Comprehensive Framework for Future Research

In the next posts on interactivity and social presence, it will be attempted to give a detailed account of CALL reflected in the related literature with a particular emphasis on its most updated version, i.e. integrative CALL. The perusal of the related literature in the next posts could be a testimony of the inadequacy of systematic research into social considerations in conjunction with CALL. Hence, the concept of social presence, which is an underresearched area of concern vis-à-vis CALL, will be centralized in the following posts on the same topic.

References

1. Baker, C. (2010). The impact of instructor immediacy and presence for online student affective learning, cognition, and motivation. The Journal of Educators Online, 7(1), 1-30. 209 INTERACTIVITY AND SOCIAL PRESENCE IN CALL
2. Cobb, S. C. (2009). Social presence and online learning: A current view from a research perspective. Journal of Interactive Online Learning, 8(3), 241-254.
3. Gunawardena, C. (1995). Social presence theory and implications for interaction and collaborative learning in computer conferences. International Journal of Educational Telecommunications, 1(2-3), 147-166.
4. McMillan, D. W., & Chavis, D. M. (1986). Sense of community: A definition and theory. Journal of Community Psychology, 14(1), 6-23. doi:10.1002/1520.6629(198601)14:1%3C6::aid-jcop2290140103%3E3.0.co;2-i
5. Picciano, A. G. (2002). Beyond student perceptions: Issues of interaction, presence, and performance in an online course. JALN, 6(1), 21-40.
6. Richardson, J. C., & Swan, K. (2003). Examining social presence in online courses in relation to students’ perceived learning and satisfaction. JALN, 7(1), 68-88.
7. Tu, C. H. (2001). How Chinese perceive social presence: An examination of interaction in online learning environment. Educational Media International, 38(1), 45-60.